


Realizing

by Pappels (SabakuNoKel)



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Feelings Realization, Getting Together, Introspection, M/M, Maui has some issues he should probably talk about, Mini Maui is the best wingman, Mutual Pining, Pre-Movie(s), Requited Love, now with twice the feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-13 18:02:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10518969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabakuNoKel/pseuds/Pappels
Summary: Maui has been feeling weird around his friend recently and needs some help figuring things outNow a two shot!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I got a request for realization of feelings and things got a little deeper than I expected but sometimes stuff happens and you just gotta roll with it

Maui stared up at the sky, watching the shades of pink and orange overtake blue as the sun set on the horizon. His canoe drifted along on the calm ocean, he didn’t have a destination in mind and was in no real rush to find one either.

Gods what was up with him recently?

He'd just returned to the surface after a trip to Lalotai to visit Tamatoa. It had only been a few weeks since his last visit but he'd been eager to see the oversized crustacean again. While he'd been sailing on his own his mind kept drifting back to Tamatoa, wondering what the monster was up to and if he was thinking of Maui as well. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t force himself to stop thinking about his friend so after a quick visit to the nearest island to restock his provisions he'd sailed back to Lalotai. Tamatoa hadn't expected him back so soon but as always was happy to see him, though he did wonder what had brought the demigod back. Maui had no idea what answer he'd given the crustacean because the moment Tamatoa had spotted him and smiled just for him Maui's brain just shut down.

That had been happening a lot recently, sometimes he'd find himself staring at the monster for no real reason or leaning in to his giant body just to get that little bit closer. It was like Tamatoa had this pull and Maui was trapped in his current with no way of getting himself out. It was a strange feeling, one he'd never experienced before and didn’t know how to deal with.

Maui sighed up at the sky, looking for an answer to the way he was feeling amongst the clouds.

He didn’t find one.

"What's wrong with me?" He muttered to himself. Maui probably would have laid there staring at the sky until the stars came out if something hadn't poked him in the chest just then. He peered down to find Mini Maui waving his arms at him, trying to get his attention.

"Hmm? What's up, Tiny?" Most of the time Mini would simply influence the ink on his body to change into whatever shape he needed to get a message across but when he actually wanted to 'talk' he used certain gestures they'd developed over the years.

The miniature pointed at his chest then touched the side of his forehead. _I know._

Maui sat up so he didn’t have to strain his neck so much to look at the tiny version of himself.

"You know what's going on?" Maui asked. The miniature definitely had his attention now.

Mini nodded.

"Well don’t leave me hanging, little buddy." He sat up taller, eager to hear what the other had to say so he could fix whatever was wrong with him and make things go back to the way they were before he started feeling so awkward around Tamatoa.

_You like Tamatoa._

Maui frowned. "Well of course I like Tamatoa, he's my best friend."

Tiny gave him a frustrated look, shaking his head. The next couple of gestures were performed slowly, like the miniature wanted to make sure Maui didn’t misunderstand him again.

He pointed at Maui.

Held his hands across his chest like an X.

Then moved his hand like a claw.

_You love Tamatoa._

Maui's face instantly turned red, his heart beating so loud he could hear it pounding in his ears.

"What? Did you stay out in the sun too long or something? That's crazy." He chuckled awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with the sprite by staring out over the ocean instead. Just because he couldn’t see Tiny didn’t mean he couldn’t feel him though and he definitely felt it when the ink blot decided the best way to get his attention back was to kick him.

Maui glared at the miniature but Tiny ignored him and pointedly held a hand up to his ear to 'listen' to the racing drumbeat of Maui's heart.

"That doesn’t mean I lo-… _have feelings_ for Tamatoa." He couldn’t say it. Saying it would be like admitting it and that would make it real.

Mini rolled his eyes at him.

_Explain this then._

A thought cloud of Tamatoa's smiling face appeared over the miniature's head.

Maui felt his ears grow warm.

"I haven't been thinking about Tamatoa that much." He grumbled though his words lacked the necessary conviction to sound believable.

Mini folded his arms over his chest and shot him a look. Oh, who was he kidding? He couldn’t stop thinking about Tamatoa these days and they both knew it. He'd visited the crustacean twice in as many months and while Tamatoa usually wasn’t one for company Maui was always the exception, the only one to be welcomed by the typically antisocial creature. It made him feel special, like someone actually liked having him around. With the humans he was always on the outskirts, never included in more than their stories and feasts and constantly moving from one island to the next, too busy being a hero to settle somewhere. Tamatoa didn’t see him as the unbeatable hero or the almighty demigod though, to him he was just Maui and with him Maui never felt like he had to be more than he was.

Tamatoa was the only one he could truly be himself with, the only one he trusted, the only one he cared about.

The only one he loved.

"Oh gods. I'm in love with my best friend." Maui groaned as he buried his face in his hands. Admitting it felt good, like a weight had been wrenched from his shoulders but it also brought a new set of problems to the forefront. Tamatoa didn’t act any different around him so he likely hadn't noticed anything weird going on just yet but that would only last so long. Maui needed to get a hold on his feelings but he had no idea how to do so other than straight up avoiding the crustacean until he got over his crush. He couldn’t do that though, ever since Tamatoa's grandmother had died it had been the two of them and Maui couldn’t, wouldn’t, just abandon his friend because of some dumb feelings.

Maui let his hands fall from his face so he could stare at his distorted reflection on the waters surface. He sighed. "What am I gonna do?"

Mini tugged at his skin, a lot gentler than the last time the sprite tried to get his attention. Maui pulled his gaze from the water to look at the miniature.

_Tell him._

Maui flinched and with his emotions running as high as they did he quickly got angry.

"Are you crazy?! If I tell Tamatoa I love him he'll laugh in my face!" He snapped at the miniature, perhaps harsher than he should have but Maui felt that could be excused considering the circumstance. Just the thought of Tamatoa rejecting him like that made his chest ache in a way that was all too familiar to him.

Maui knew he wasn’t strong enough to handle a rejection like that.

Not again.

_He won't._

"How can you be so sure?" He muttered, his anger had quickly run out but in its place he was left feeling melancholy. If this was what being in love felt like he didn’t get why humans got so excited about it, it was exhausting.

_He loves you back._

Maui huffed. "Yeah right." It was weird enough for a demigod to be attracted to a giant crustacean so what were the odds that Tamatoa might like him back? Compared to Tamatoa he was tiny and soft and missing a fair number of limbs and while Maui was certainly strong he had no claws or tough shell to defend himself. By monster standards everything about him must look entirely unappealing.

Mini was determined to prove him wrong though.

_I'll show you._

A little ink Tamatoa appeared next to Mini Maui on his chest, the two sprites walking together leisurely when suddenly a lizard monster jumped out with a silent roar. Mini pulled out his hook but the monster easily batted him aside, this angered the little Tamatoa though and the crab and lizard decked it out until the monster scurried off with its tail between its legs. Tamatoa returned to Mini's side to check on him, smiling happily when Mini reassured him he was alright.

Mini looked up at him after his little reenactment had come to its end, quirking his brow at him as if to say; 'see?'.

"Tamatoa is my friend, of course he would get mad when stuff like that happens." Maui shrugged, just because the crustacean was protective of him didn’t mean he felt the same way Maui did.

Mini rolled his eyes and shared a look with the ink Tamatoa. Before Maui could comment on their behavior the ink on his body changed again, this time to reflect Tamatoa's lair. The little crab was hidden inside his shell and from the Z's floating overhead and Mini's closed eyes as he leaned against one of the monster's legs he figured the miniatures were 'sleeping'. Or supposed to be sleeping, as little Tamatoa's face appeared from beneath his shell to stare at the sleeping demigod, a hard to read expression on his inked face.

Maui frowned. "He watches me sleep?"

Mini peaked an eye open and nodded.

Maui didn’t know that. Hope started to bloom in his chest but he refused to let it take root just yet.

"That doesn’t mean he likes me back though." He argued, much to the miniature's frustration. It was a good thing Mini's hair wasn’t real or he would have been bald with how hard he was pulling on it. The miniature Tamatoa came forward and stopped Mini from tugging at his hair, soothing the sprite by running his antennae through his locks. Mini instantly relaxed into the touch, body sagging against the crustacean who smiled fondly.

Maui told himself he wasn’t jealous.

The ink scene changed again though the location stayed the same. Mini was sitting on the ground with little Tamatoa in front of him, the two sprites talking soundlessly. Despite the lack of sound Maui knew what they were talking about, remembered this situation when it had happened.  


Maui had never told anyone the story of how his parents had abandoned him and just talking about it had been hard but in the end Tamatoa had comforted him and in that moment it didn’t matter, it didn’t matter his parents didn’t want him because he had Tamatoa and that was more than enough. On his skin the two miniatures hugged, a single tear running down the crustacean's cheek as they held each other tightly.

"Tamatoa cried?" Maui asked, surprised. He'd never known Tamatoa to cry about anything so why cry for Maui? No one had ever cried for him before because no one had cared.

Except Tamatoa had. Did that mean he cared for Maui like Maui cared for him?

Mini nodded after the two miniatures had separated, looking up at him expectantly. One of these days he really should ask how the sprite always seemed to know everything that happened around him but that could wait until some other time. For now he had more important things to think about.

Like the possibility of Tamatoa returning his feelings.

"That still doesn’t prove it, but-" He held up a finger before the miniature could protest. "The only way to find out for sure would be to tell him." Maui declared, his heart racing but in a good way this time. Mini nodded enthusiastically, giving him two thumbs up which made the demigod smile.

Mini's display had shown him how much he valued Tamatoa's company, his friendship was the most important thing to him but if there was a chance for something more between them he had to try.

Maui jumped up, his canoe swaying under him though the demigod hardly noticed.

"How should I do it though? I can't just go up to him and tell him, a crab like Tamatoa needs to be wooed first." He directed at the miniature as he placed a hand on his chin to think. He knew of some gifts humans gave to their beloved but none of them seemed quite right for Tamatoa.

Mini considered it for a moment then snapped his fingers, a bouquet of flowers popping into his hand which he then presented to little Tamatoa who took them and kissed the miniature on the cheek.

Maui quirked a brow at the sprites, shaking his head. "I don’t think Tamatoa likes flowers."

The flowers poofed into a treasure chest which had little heart eyes appearing on little Tamatoa's face followed by more kisses.

Maui chuckled. "That'll work."

The stars had come out so Maui unfurled the sail and finally set a course.

He had a treasure to find.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Tamatoa's pov

Tamatoa sighed for the umpteenth time since Maui had left a mere five days ago. The demigod's brief visit had gladdened his heart but confused his mind, a rather odd state to be in.

Maui was acting strange.

Whenever the demigod visited recently he seemed somehow distracted, Tamatoa often had to repeat himself because Maui hadn't been paying attention or he'd find the other staring at him with a weird look in his eyes.

It made him nervous.

What if Maui was acting this way because he'd somehow found out about Tamatoa's feelings for him? Why hadn't he brought it up if he had? Or did he not want to for fear of making things awkward between them?

So many questions he didn’t have answers to.

He could have asked Maui what was going on but he never did, too afraid to find out if Maui really had figured out his secret somehow. He'd dealt with his feelings for the demigod for so long now, almost longer than he could remember, without Maui finding out and he'd planned on keeping it that way but what if Maui already knew? Tamatoa didn’t want to ruin their friendship which was why he'd kept it secret in the first place but things had changed recently and it felt like he was losing Maui.

It was hard enough having to share him with the humans but to lose him completely? Tamatoa wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Maui's friendship was worth more to him than all the gold on his back, more precious than all the gems and jewels he could think of. He didn’t care if Maui never returned his feelings because being his friend was enough and as much as it hurt at times to not have the demigod like he truly wanted him he was content with what he had.

Tamatoa let out a laugh but when it echoed back at him it sounded hollow.

A content scavenger, who would have thought?

With anything else if he wanted it he simply took it but Maui was different, besides the fact that he couldn’t just 'take' Maui as the demigod would never let himself be taken without putting up a fight Tamatoa didn’t want to force the other to stay with him. Maui had always _chosen_ him. Years going on decades going on centuries Maui always came back to him no matter how many times he ventured to the surface vying for the approval of those humans.

He'd never understood why Maui even bothered with them until the demigod told him about his past, about how his parents had thrown him into the sea to die. That had shocked him to be honest— crustaceans didn’t exactly take part in childrearing but they would never try to kill their offspring— and as Maui had shuffled into his body and gripped his claws tight Tamatoa silently wept for the first time in his long life for the hurt his dearest friend carried with him.

Tamatoa wished he could somehow show Maui he didn’t have to prove himself worthy of the humans love, he was good enough, more than good. Maui was amazing and if the surface dwellers didn’t see that Maui should just stay with him.

There was that thought again. He wanted Maui to stay with him but he knew that wasn’t possible. Maui may have been part god but the part of him that wasn’t was human and humans didn’t belong in Lalotai. The danger was one thing and even though Tamatoa knew Maui could fend for himself his instincts still screamed at him to protect him whenever they ventured out together. His demigod was so small and other than his hook had nothing or no one to protect him and while Tamatoa wanted to he couldn’t always be around, he'd probably drive them both crazy if he tried.

Food was another issue. There was only so long Maui could tolerate fish for every meal and while Tamatoa could eat just about anything Maui could not. The demigod wasn’t picky but whenever Maui started talking in his sleep about coconuts it was usually time to return to the surface to restock provisions. Sometimes Maui came right back after just days spent apart and they would share a meal of salted meat and sweet fruit until they were both full and tired.

Those nights Tamatoa would often stay awake to watch his demigod as he slept, face relaxed and body slack against him. At night he could watch the other for hours without worry of Maui catching him in the act and seeing something that might give away how he truly felt.

He should have remembered there were more eyes around than just Maui's.

Finding Maui's ink staring back at him one night had been a surprise. Tamatoa had frozen, unsure of what to do but the sprite merely winked at him and covered his mouth with his finger. He couldn’t say for certain how much the demigod's ink had understood of what he'd seen but the sprite had kept his secret and that was all that mattered.

A small part of him sometimes wished the sprite would tell Maui. Much as he feared the demigod's reaction he never could fully stomp out the hope that Maui might return his feelings someday, unlikely as the possibility was.

Tucking his claw under his chin Tamatoa thought of going hunting for a bit, just to take his mind off things for a while. He'd been sitting around thinking for too long, a good hunt would put him right again. Mind made up the crustacean was in the process of tucking bits of valuables into the hidden nooks and crannies of his lair in case of thieves when he heard the sound of something heavy being dropped somewhere behind him.

He turned to find the demigod who had been occupying his thoughts for the last few days standing in the entrance, a large wooden chest by his feet.

"Maui? What's going on?" He asked, worried something was wrong. He'd never seen the other look so tense before, nerves almost visibly pouring off him.

"Not glad to see me?" Maui smiled but anyone with eyes could tell it was obviously forced.

"Of course I am but you've never visited this often before so you must be here for a reason." This was Maui's third visit in a matter of weeks and while he'd usually be happy to have the demigod back so soon he could tell something was weighing on the other's mind.

"I wanted to ask you something really important and this," Maui pushed the chest closer to the giant crustacean. "is part of it."

Tamatoa frowned. "You came to ask a question and give me a chest?"

"Yes."

"Well you've certainly piqued my curiosity." He expected Maui to ask whatever he must have rushed back here for first but instead he gave the chest another nudge, drawing the monster's eyes away from the demigod to inspect it. It was a rather large chest and had several markings on it that claimed it as Kakamora treasure which had his antennae perking up in interest.

Maui smiled, a genuine smile this time, at the monster's reaction. "Open it first."

Not needing to be told twice Tamatoa shuffled closer to pry the lid open. He let out a little 'Ooh' as he saw the inside of the chest was filled to the brim with all kinds of gemstones; diamonds, opals, sapphires, and a large number of other precious stones sparkling at him.

"Do you like it?" Maui asked, curling his toes in the sand. Tamatoa flicked one eye over to look at the demigod, the other remaining on the collection of brightly polished stones.

"You know me babe I'm never displeased with a gift, especially one so shiny." He assured, more than happy with the newest addition to his collection—especially since it was a gift from Maui.

"Good. That's good." Maui said, a shaky quality to his voice. Tamatoa wasn’t the only one who noticed this as Maui cleared his throat before taking a deep breath.

"Tamatoa, do you like me?" The words rushed out of the demigod's mouth like water, almost as though he wanted to get them out as quickly as possible. Tamatoa blinked before bringing his other eye over to look at the demigod. If he thought Maui looked nervous before it was nothing compared to how he looked now, holding his hook with a white knuckled grip as he waited for the crustacean's response.

"Of course I like you." Tamatoa assured, as though there was ever any question. Maui didn’t relax though, every line of his body pulled tight as a bow string.

"I meant, do you have feelings… for me?" The crustacean froze as he registered the quietly spoken words, panic quickly welling up inside him. This was it then, Maui had figured out his secret and was about to tell him he no longer wanted to be his friend, the chest of gems just something to soften the blow. He waited for the painful stab of Maui's rejection but instead of the sound of his heart breaking into a thousand little pieces there was only silence, a long stretched silence that seemed to grow more uncomfortable with every second that passed.

Maybe— maybe he was wrong. Maybe Maui didn’t know Tamatoa was in love with him.

But then why ask him?

He had enough sense to keep the tumult of emotions from showing on his face though there was little he could do to calm his surely audibly racing heart.

"Why do you ask?" Tamatoa queried, forcing his voice to remain steady and panic-free. It was a good thing he wasn't capable of sweating or he would have surely given himself away.

Luckily Maui appeared too nervous himself to notice the state Tamatoa was in.

"Because I—" Maui gulped. "I have feelings for you."

Tamatoa's eyes widened as he stared down at the demigod in undisguised shock. Maui's words seemed to echo in his mind, over and over again until he was sure he'd never forget them for as long as he lived.

Maui… Maui had _feelings_ for him? The kind of feelings Tamatoa had for him? The kind that went beyond friendship? _That_ kind of feelings?

"You do?" Tamatoa asked, hardly aware that he'd spoken.

_Maui had feelings for him._

Tamatoa felt like he had fallen into a dream he would surely wake up from any moment now.

"Yes." Maui confirmed in a weak voice, avoiding the monster's gaze and bracing himself. Looking at the demigod Tamatoa realized Maui was expecting the same thing to happen as he had earlier. Maui thought Tamatoa didn’t return his feelings, that he would be rejected.

That wouldn’t do.

"Maui," He gently nudged the demigod's chin up with his claw. "Are you asking me if I'm in love with you?" Maui's mouth opened and closed like a fish, no sound coming out.

He didn’t have to answer, his eyes spoke volumes.

"Because I could never love anyone like I love you." Tamatoa declared, baring his heart to his beloved demigod. Maui gripped his claw and it took every ounce of self control Tamatoa had not to pull the demigod closer and never let go.

"Does that mean you—"

"Yes you idiot I like you back." Tamatoa interrupted, a smile breaking out on his face at the awestruck look on the demigod's face. Maui grinned at him from ear to ear, looking the happiest Tamatoa had ever seen him.

"Cheehoo!" Maui cheered as he hopped into the air, giving Tamatoa only a split second to register his tattoos lighting up before he transformed into an eagle. The monster laughed as he watched his demigod doing loops around the lair, circling the giant crustacean for a few moments before coming to hover in front of him. Their eyes met, an unspoken conversation passing between them as Tamatoa held up a claw for the other to land on as he transformed back into his human form.

He held his demigod up close to his face, openly drinking in the sight of the other's warm smile when Maui suddenly leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek with his lips.

He peered at the other curiously. "What was that?"

Maui's cheeks turned a dusky red and Tamatoa mentally declared it the loveliest sight he'd seen in years. "A kiss, its something humans do to show they love someone."

Oh. Tamatoa wasn’t familiar with the human custom but that was easily solved.

"I like it." He declared, winking at the other. "You should do it again." Maui grinned and rolled his eyes but did lean forward again to give him another kiss so Tamatoa counted it as his win.

"What do giant crustaceans do when they love someone?" Maui asked as he leaned back to better look at the monster.

"We twirl our antennae together." Tamatoa had never done it with another crustacean but he knew it was an intimate gesture, the closest thing their kind had to a show of affection. He imagined it must feel similar to twisting his antennae in his demigod's hair and though the strands didn’t curl back around his appendages he always liked the feeling anyway because it was Maui he was sharing it with.

"I don’t have any antennae." Maui sounded rather disappointed though Tamatoa didn’t see the problem.

"Its fine." He reassured his demigod as he leaned forward to twist his antennae in Maui's silky soft hair. He'd done it many times before but having Maui know what it meant made it feel even better.

Maui looked surprised at the familiar gesture, touching a hand to one of the appendages buried in his hair before shooting the crustacean a knowing smirk.

"So all this time you've been putting your antennae in my hair you were actually putting the moves on me?" Maui quirked a brow at him, looking much too pleased with himself at the little revelation.

"Well you didn’t _know_." Tamatoa was quick to defend though in truth he didn’t mind that Maui had figured out how long he'd felt this way for him as it would only reassure the demigod of his feelings for him.

"But now I do, so twirl away." Demigod and monster shared a smile and for once they were both truly content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left encouraging comments/messages it's thanks to you guys this chapter came out much faster than I had planned (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
> 
> As always I'm open to prompts/questions/just talking on my tumblr ;)  
> http://pepperedappels.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> Would anyone be interested if I made this into a two-shot? Something from Tamatoa's side perhaps? Something is compelling me to write more of this (let's see how long it lasts)
> 
> Still open to prompts/questions/just talking on my tumblr ;)  
> http://pepperedappels.tumblr.com/


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